Category: Volunteer Opportunities

by Sue Ann Kendall

I had a wonderful opportunity to introduce young people (and some adults) to observing nature and learning from it. On March 9, I was invited to help a Cameron Cub Scout pack learn how to behave in parks and what to look for when you’re out in nature. We went to Chalk Ridge Falls Park, which is in Belton, on the Lampassas River, next to the Stillhouse Hollow Lake dam.

The park is a great place to take young people, because the trails are wide, there are safe stairs, and there are many different ecosystems represented (riparian, woodlands, and prairie). One caution would be that children have to be supervised, because the river has carved a pretty steep canyon that is NOT fenced off. Also note that while there are stairs down to the river, they are steep and would be difficult for anyone with physical challenges to handle.

There were twelve children in attendance, including a couple of siblings of Cub Scouts. There were plenty of helpful adults, as well, so I could concentrate on finding items of interest to show them. We talked about littering and damaging park property, since this public park has a litter issue. The Scouts hope to come back to do public service by picking up trash – it was their idea!

We also talked about trail etiquette, such as not taking things from parks and staying on the path, which about 50% of the children were able to do. One thing I need to remember in doing this kind of thing is that nowadays many children will have attention-deficit disorders or may be on the autism spectrum, so it’s a good idea to present things that they all can benefit from. I did much better than I did last time I tried this, which led to a good time for all.

Once the Den Mother and I showed the Scouts a few interesting flowers, bird nests, and pollen on tree catkins, the questions began. Some of the youngsters asked great questions about what they were observing or hearing (we heard a loud canyon wren, so I could explain that the park is the perfect habitat for them). I was asked about leaves, the berries on the cedar trees, how the seeds get in raccoon poop, and so much more. I was positively impressed at how much they got into the nature thing once they got started.

Parents and grandparents also were paying attention and asking questions, and the Den Mother and I were surprised at how far we ended up going down the trail. They didn’t complain about being tired until we’d been out more than an hour. Speaking of going down the trail, the grandmother who came along was using a cane to help walk the trails. She initially said she’d just sit and wait when we went down some stairs to go over a bridge, but she got so interested in what her grandchildren were seeing that she made her way down and went the rest of the way with us. When we were finished, she said she was now ready to do squats. We got a good laugh out of that. But, that’s what being out in nature can do for you!

Here’s what made the nature walk worth it to this Master Naturalist. One of the Cub Scouts had asked me many questions and was fascinated by flowering trees and berries. As we walked off from looking at some new thing, he turned around and ran up to me, with his little face aglow and shining black eyes. He exclaimed, “I love nature now!” He also wanted a photo with me when we left.

One of the young girls was also having a lot of fun. We got to the place where we were going to turn around, and some of the families had snacks. Her family had left theirs in the car, so they were going to go on back. She looked stricken and said to her mom, “But I want to stay here and continue this adventure!” I have to say I agreed with her. There was lots more to see, since there are many trails in the park.

More than one parent mentioned wanting to come back and go further, without children. I think a field trip to do a BioBlitz here would be very worthwhile. I heard four types of wrens (before the children arrived) as well as other interesting birds, so it would be a good birding spot, too. Here are some of the things we saw.

I sure hope I can find more opportunities to lead nature walks. I think interpretation is my favorite part about being a Master Naturalist. I was so happy to see how much learning took place!